When you find your roots, when you understand who you really are, everything becomes really easy. — Monica Dogra
British-based Indian musician Shri, joins singer-songwriter Monica Dogra and folk collective Rajasthan Roots in the desert of Jaisalmer.
Monica Dogra a musician in her own right coordinates The Dewarists, but for Changing World she joined in the collaboration.
The resultant song Changing World is a fusion of rock and ethnic folk.
The backdrop is the desert landscapes of Jaisalmer and its surrounding villages.
Growing up Shri only knew traditional Indian music, then going to college, where he encountered rock music, he asked ‘what is that boom boom boom in the background?’ Hey man, that is bass. A bass guitar became a must have, only he came from a poor family, and so he made his own. He then developed a style of playing it with a bow.
Solo Dreams by Shri is worth a listen.
When Shri took up the guitar, he was told by his uncle that he was a disgrace to his family. Ten years later when Shri was touring the world his uncle had the good grace to come to him and say sorry, he was wrong, his family was proud of what he had achieved.
Paulo Coelho wanted to be a writer. Against all odds, he followed his dreams, he became a writer.
Shri wanted to be a musician, Against all odds, he followed his dreams, he became a musician.
We all have to learn to be like Santiago in The Alchemist, to realise our passions, to take risks, to follow our dreams. We have to learn to shun the advice of those around us who wish us to conform, be like everyone else.
Again and again what comes across with The Dewarists is the passion the musicians have for music.
Monica Dogra knew from an early age that all she wanted to do was play music.
Music comes from the heart, it is to communicate with the Soul of the World.
Amazing, sit around a camp fire in the middle of the desert and compose music.
The Dewarists make music because they love music. Fuckwits debase themselves on X-factor, wanna be worthless celebrities.
The final song, very existential.
Strange, how this morning when I awoke my first thought was must read The Zahir. The Zahir is set in the desert.
Everyone sat around the desert camp fire jamming, I thought of my lovely friend Carolena Sabah playing Athena in The Witch of Portobello, where she dances around the camp fire in the desert. It is through dance Athena communicates with the Soul of the World.
Do we paint the desert with our music or does the desert paint the music?
The Dewarists is an exploration of the different musical genres in India, the boundaries between, crossing those boundaries and creating a fusion.
A free download of Changing World is available from The Dewarists on facebook, click like, enter e-mail address and you will receive a link to download an mp3 file.
If would be great if The Dewarists uploaded all the music to an album on bandcamp, where the music would then be available for download as high quality lossless FLAC. [see mp3 v FLAC]
Tags: Changing World, desert, fusion, India, Jaisalmer, Monica Dogra, music, Rajasthan Roots, Shri, The Dewarists
Leave a Reply